DATE DUE Cornell University Library PR 4699.E46A6 1873 Selections from the poems of Charlotte E 3 1924 013 456 664 The original of tliis book is in tine Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924013456664 ^Ut^iW^:^ fi^i^^,.j^ SELECTIONS FROM THE AUTHOR OF "JUST AS I AM." WITH A MEMOIR BY HER SISTER, E. B. LONDON: THE RELIGIOUS TRACT SOCIETY: s6, Pateemoster Row ; 6$, _St. Paul's Churchyard ; AND 164, Piccadilly. ^ ^^^m- "PR 4'--7^^y LONDUN : KNIGHT, PRINTER, BARTHOLOMEW CLOSE. PREFATORY NOTE. |he writer of this brief Sketch has been very re- luctant to bring herself in any way before the public ; and it is only after having been repeatedly urged, that she has, at length, consented to write these imperfect recollections of her beloved sister's life. The difficulty has been great, because those -have passed away who would gladly and efficiently have assisted her, or themselves have undertaken the work. As it is, she has been obliged to rely on her own memory in reference to years long since gone by, assisted only by some scanty private memorandum, and some few of her sister's letters accidentally pre- served ; for a large collection — some of a highly in- teresting character — had been destroyed by her own hand during the last two or three years of her life, chiefly lest they might tend to any self-exaltation, so truly was she humble in her own esteem, and jealous of all that might foster vanity and pride. These circumstances must be the writer's apology for bringing befote others some very sacred memorials of a most rare affection, which she would willingly have withheld, had not others considered that they develope her beloved sister's mind more truly than any attempted description could have done. "PR ^Uji^di KNIGHT, PRINTER, BARTHOLOMEW CLOSE. PREFATORY NOTE. I HE writer of this brief Sketch has been very re- luctant to bring herself in any way before the public ; and it is only after having been repeatedly urged; that she has, at length, consented to write these imperfect recollections of her beloved sister's life. The difficulty has been great, because thoise-have passed away who would gladly and efficiently have assisted her, or themselves have undertaken the work. As it is, she has been obliged to rely on her own memory in reference to years long since gone by, assisted only by some scanty private memorandum, and some few of her sister's letters accidentally pre- served ; for a large collection— some of a highly in- teresting character — had been destroyed by her own hand during the last two or three years of her life, chiefly lest they might tend to any self-exaltation, so truly was she humble in her own esteem, and jealous of all that might foster vanity and pride. These circumstances must be the writer's apology for bringing befoi?e others some very sacred memorials of a most rare affection, which she would willingly have withheld, had not others considered that they develope her beloved sister's mind more truly than any attempted description could have done. |fttst tt,^ fl aw/ ' Him that Cometh to Me I will in no wise cast oat." Jokti vi, 37. ^ttst as I am — ioitlunit tna f\e& 52)3 gat that "iEkg ilojjS teas skcb for tat, 3L«3) that 'Sthott bib'0t me tomt tfl '(Kluc — O yiimb of eloJ), i touif ! J«st 30 i am — ani inaiting not %.a rii mj" sflal rtf exit bark blot, "SCo %Mtt, tokoBS bloob can cUattae tath spot— ® i;amb of ®ob, i toxaz ! Jttst as i am— tkottfih toss'b aboat, SKtth maun a roirflitt, matijj a boabt, ^ijhtiitgs anb fcnrs hjtfhirt, torthoat — © Jamb of (Sob, i contf '. Jttst as I am — ptror, iaxzicheb, bltnb ; ^ight, tickea, lualiitg of the miftb, 2ia, ail i twfi, itt 'Wkzt to flni— (!) Samh flf (iol), i wmt ! ^ttst as i am— 'aChott toilt Mcttbf, SSilt tofkrrmf, yaxSxm, tUansz, wluhr, gMatts* '(Ehs i>romis« i if Iwh* — ® Sami of ffioi, i cimu 1 Jtnst as I am — %h:s loot unknoian |gas iioken fSerj iatriet iotnit ; ^oSi) to he '3;iui«, -Qfn, i:hiiw alotw — ® gamb of ©oi, I com* 1 Jast as i am— of tftat f«£ lobe, "Wxx. toaJth, IcngtK, Sijrth, artb htislit to jiroir , |@w«, for a sfasow, tlwn aboi« — ffl ^amb of ®0)), i comt I c. E. CONTENTS. Prefatory Note .... iii "Just as I am" . . . . . iv Biographical Sketch .... 13 To A Fellow Traveller . . . .61 The Comforter .... 62 The Secure Refuge . . . ,64 ,The Bridegroom Cometh ... 66 The Daily Lesson . . . . .68 Thoughts to Comfort ... 69 The Christian Warrior . . . .72 A Song in the Night ... 73 A Hymn of Praise . . . . .75 The Path of the Just ... 76 The Fountain . , . . -77 A Meditation and Prayer ... 79 The Day is at Hand . ^ . . Si Onward and Upward .... 82 dLonttnts. . PAGE Rejoicing in Hope .... . 84 Fear Not ..... 85 A Christmas Hymn • 87 Life's Evening Hour .... 90 To THE Passing Spirit. ■ 92 The Better Country . 93 The Twilight Hour ■ 94- Hymn for the New Year 96 Saturday Night .... • 98 The Wild Violet .... 99 Prayer to the Holy Spirit . 100 A Winter Sunset .... ■ 102 The Universal Hymn . 103 New Year's Eve . . . • 104 The Name above Every Name . . 106 Look Upward . . . • • 108 The Holy Comforter . 109 The New Jerusalem . . . • III Sunday Morning .... . 112 The Man of Sorrows 114 Weep Not . . . • ■ . 116 The Scriptures . . . • 117 To a Friend setting out on a Journey . 118 viir Contmtjs. FAGB Easter Eve . . . . . .119 Hallowed Sleep . . . . izo My Home . . . ' . . .122 For the First Sunday of- a New Year . 123 The Search for Happiness . . .125 The Way, the Truth, and the Life .■ 127 lo A Mourner ..... 128 On a Departed Friend ... 130 Let me go; for the Day-Breaket^ . .131 On Sacred Music .... 13^ A Simile . . . . . -134 Stanzas for a Friend in Sorrow . . 135 On an Early Violet . . . .139 Summer Evening by the Seaside . . 140 To the Nightingale . . . .141 The Hour of Prayer ... 142 The Lord turned, and looked upon Peter . 144 The Young Believer's Prayer . . 14S ■ On a Spring Morwng . . . .146 The Sure Guide .... 147 Sonnet to the Harp .... I49 Prayer for Faith .... 15° Thoughts in Seclusion . . . -151 €:x>nt£ut0. PAGE To AN Aged Pilgrim on his Birthday '53 A Prayer at Midnight . • 154 The Wanderer's Return iSS Go AND Sin no More • 157 On A Frosty Evening 158 The Hidden Life .... • 159 Light and Darkness 160 The Still Small Voice . . 161 To THE Evening Star 163 To a Widowed Friend . 164 My Son, give Me thine Heart 16s The Christian near his Home . . 166 Above the Heavens .... 169 Faint, yet Pursuing . 170 The Skylark ..... 171 Blessed are they that Mourn . . 172 The Moon over the Sea 173 For New Year's Day • 174 A Dream ..... 176 To One Bereaved of Many Relatives . ■ 179 Anticipations ..... 180 Epitaph ..... . 182 On a Restless Night in Illness . .__ 183 X (Eont«»t0. To One whose Mind was disordered by Grief The Widowed 'Heart . To A Bereaved Christian Friend Prayer to the Saviour To Faith .... Why should I Fear to Die? Thy Will be Done Now WE see through a Glass Darkly On Leaving Home . /. Be Not Faithless,- but Believing . Leaning on her Beloved . Return unto thy Rest, O my Soul Safe on the other side . Thoughts on a Birthday By the Death^bed of a Friend . Hymn for a Dying Bed Prayer for a Departing Spirit . Safe in Christ .... The Perfect Example Not my Will, but Thine Thou God seest Me A Present Help Paternal Chastening i8s 189 190 192 193 195 196 197 199 200 202 203 205 206 208 209 211 212 213 214 216 21S Qlonimie. PAGE Strong Consolation 220 To Die is Gain . 221 Prayer against Impatience . 223 The Unfailing Friend . 225 For a Sunday in Solitude . 226 I COME to Thee . ^ c . 228 Forsake Me Nor 229 In Sleeplessness oe Pain . 231 In Deep Waters 232 On Recovering from Illness • 233 More than Conqueror 235 When Expecting Suffering . 236 Abba, Father .... 238 The Sheltering Wing • 239 All Things become New 241 The Ever-present Helper . 242 Closing Sonnet 244 Appendix .... ■ 245 Biographical Sketch. I HARLOTTE Elliott, the gifted writer of the well-known Hymn " Just as I am," was bom i8th March, 1789;, and died September 22nd, 1871. She was the third daughter of the late Charles Elliott, Esq., of Clapham and Brighton. During many years her parents formed the centre of a very interesting religious circle at both those places. Her uncle, the Rev. John Venn, was rector of Clapham; and her mother, Mrs. Elliott, was the eldest daughter of the Rev. Henry Venn, of Hud- dersfield and Yelling, one 61 the leaders of the religious awakening in the last . century, and to her, as Eling Venn, are addressed many of the letters that appear in the published memoir of his life. Her two brothers, the late Rev. H. V. Elliott, of St. Mary's, Brighton, and the Rev. E. B. Elliott, author of the "Horae Apocalypticae," are well known by their characters and their works. JixTijraphual ^kttrh. From early years she was more or less an in- valid, and consequently her life was one of much seclusion, offering but few incidents and little variety. Her life was a hidden one. She always rallied during the summer months, and was able to pay visits to friends at a distance, who loved and valued her society, and appreciated the charm of her conversation and her brilliant imagination. Amongst those whose friendship she specially enjoyed, I must mention the Cunningham family, at Harrow; our cousin, Mrs. Batten, who was a Venn ; Bishop Shirley ; and the Moneys, who were specially beloved. Visits to these friends always brightened the ordinary monotony of her life ; and the zest with which she entered into the beauties of scenery and the charms of intel- lectual society, will never be forgotten by those who knew her. Naturally she had a strong will, but this be- came gradually subdued, as her religious princi- ples deepened. Her temperament was eminently poetical ; and her tender sympathy in every joy or sorrow of those whom she loved is fully testified in many of her letters and poems. She was always exceedingly fond of music, with a very fine and delicate ear ; and it was only the 14 biographical Sketch. continual interruption of ill health that prevented the successful development of this talentj as well as the kindred accomplishment of drawing, for which she showed much taste and aptitude. In younger years her voice blended sweetly with the family choir, and to the close of life her enjoyment of music was exquisite. Such tastes as these, combined witli her unusual powers of conversation, her high intellectual capacity, and, her zest for every interesting subject, made h^r companionship very deUghtful and highly valued. There was a period, before my father's final Temoval from- Clapham to Brighton, when her remarkable talents and accomplishments made her a welcome guest in circles where she met some of the most brilliant wits and writers of the day. To one of her temperament such society as this had an almost irresistible fascination. But there was an absence of religion, if not hostihty to it, in many of, those with whom she was thus brought into connection, so as to endanger that higher spiritual life, of which even then she was conscious. But He who had loved her with an everlasting love, and who well ki'ew how perilous a snare this would prove to her, was pleased to lay her on a bed of sickness, and thus to withdraw ^iagrapkicai ^ketrk. her from the scene of danger and temptation. This was, I think, in the year 1821. Then followed a period of much seclusion and bodily distress, from the continuance of feeble health. Her views, too, became clouded and con- fused, through an introduction to religious contro- versy, and the disturbing influence of various teachers, who held inadequate notions of the efficacy of Divine grace. She became deeply conscious of the evil in her own heart, and having not yet fully realised the fulness and freeness of the grace of God in the Lord Jesus Christ, she suffered much mental distress, under the painful uncertainty whether it were possible that such an one as she felt herself to be could be saved. At this conjuncture it pleased God graciously to provide for her a spiritual teacher fully adapted to her necessities. It was an era in her life never to be forgotten. On the 9th of May, 1822, she was for the first time introduced to Dr. Csesar Malan, of Geneva, in her father's residence. Grove House, Clapham, through the kind intervention of Miss Waddington, afterwards the wife of Bishop Shirley. From that time, for forty years, his con- stant correspondence was justly esteemed the greatest blessing of her life. The anniversary of ^ixxpaphiral ^lukh. that memorable date was always kept as a festal day ; and on that day, so long as Dr. Malan lived, commemorative letters passed from the one to the other, as upon the birthday of her soul to true spiritual life and peace. The tenor of these com- munications may be justly estimated from a letter written about a fortnight after their first interview, of which the following is a translation : — Manchester : May \%th, 1822. " Very dear Friends, "Since the Lord our God, our Saviour and our Father, has deigned to make me ' find favour in your eyes,' and since the word of His minister has been agreeable and precious to you, I can in peace and confidence continue to discuss with you those things which belong to our eternal salvation. " The love of the Lord is over all His works : His compassion is higher than the heavens. He forgets not any of His promises. He is faithful. We do not believe it, dear friends;' our hearts can neither imagine nor admit the love which God bears us, unless they have been changed, renewed, turned again unto the Lord by the powerful grace of God. Even in the Christian world, amongst those ^' 17 c ^iffgraphkal .Slutch. who speak most freely of religion, the sentiment least found, and most seldom seen, is the simple, sincere consciousness of the love of God. One may converse for hours on the Gospel, or Church business; or discourse with learning and spiri- tuality on some high doctrine, or question of morals, and- thus may have it said, nay, even persuade ourselves, that there has been much edification in such and such a visit, or social gathering, or public service; and, nevertheless, remain as far from the life of God as are the men of the world in their calculations and vain pursuits. " Dear friends, one look, silent but continuous and faithful at the cross of Jesus, is better, is more efficacious than all beside. It, at least, connects us with eternity ; it is a look of life, aye, of life Divine. To say to oneself that the Lord loves us, that He is our Father, that He cherishes us, that He sees, follows, guides, guards us ; to believe, but to believe indeed, that Jesus is our friend each day, each hour ; that His grace surrounds us, that His voice continually bids us be happy and holy in Him ; to dwell, child-like, in the joy of that love, and to repeat to one's soul, ' O my soul, my soul, dwell thou in peace, and bless thy God : ' — all ^iograpkkal ^kekh. this which is life, and without which there is no life, either here below, or in the world above, is not the work of our own will ; it is the direct achievement of the merciful and freely given power of Him who is ' over all, God blessed for ever;' who is love, and who desires to be called and recognized as the Father of infinite compas- sion. " But, dear, truly dear friends and sisters, in our vanity, in frivolous presumption, in foolish error, we may flatter ourselves that we live,'without this life ; that we are wise, though ignorant of this truth ; that we are content, happy, peaceful in the midst of our own agitation and in a path we try to trace in the quicksand of our glory, of the approbation of acquaintances, of our sciences, our lectures, our pleasures,^ etc. Then (and then very happily, Charlotte !) there is no more peace for an immortal soul thus deceived, bound, tenfold vanquished by the craft and seductions of Satan, of the world, of its own folly. For such a soul there are only bitter restlessness, long feebleness, tears, regrets, and continual sighings after a life it cannot attain, yet of which it feels the imperative need. "But Jesus remains the same above this gloomy 19 ^iographiral